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A Late "Galette Des Rois" - Almond and Pistachio Frangipane Galettes

January 9, 2010

Time flies like mad these days! I really thought this week would be calmer than the ones ahead. I even said it outloud. With a satisfactory smile on my face and a head full of light hearted things to do. So you can guess what happened. It got a wee bit crazy. One night that I was trying to sort it all out, my dear B. sat next to me with mugs of tea and a couple of tartelettes. I knew we were simultaneously feeling how wonderful it is to be able to rely on the simplicity of seasonal baking when there's combobulation around.

As my family back home was gathering around my grandfather to celebrate Epiphany, we were virtually sharing the moment with individual "Galette des Rois", the traditional frangipane filled puff pastry tarts served for the occasion. B. is well aware of my family's "must dos" and how they translate into my baking and cooking as definite advantages for him even this far away, like truffles at Christmas and galette or brioche for Epiphany.

Like in many a French person, galettes des rois are a big deal. A lot of families take this opportunity to gather together one last time towards the end of the holidays, have a glass of Champagne and wish one another a Happy New Year before things go back to their usual "metro-boulout-dodo" (commute-work-sleep). Since most years we were visiting my grandparents in Paris for the holidays, we would have "galette des rois" there and, once back home in Provence, we would have "brioche des rois". And sometimes both which was perfect for the gourmande in me!

When I mentioned the possibility of not baking any galette this year, you should have seen the look on my husband's face. As if I was taking his favorite toy away. My symptoms have been so greatly improved by removing gluten entirely from our diet that I did not really want to make a full batch of puff pastry and galettes. I can't stand being that selfish either but from the previous results I'd had turning puff pastry gluten free, a complete gf galette des rois was not going to happen. So I made them anyway, the regular way. I only had one bite too many to know I shouldn't have but he was happy and that makes up for a lot of things.

Back in September, I tried a couple of times to come up with a gluten free puff pastry for a Daring Bakers challenge but none of the attempts left me satisfied. I came up with a ratio for the flours I wanted to use, ran it by Shauna for confirmation and was elated to see my dough was flexible enough to roll and to fold and bake into beautiful crispy layers. Each time though I had the same problem: too much butter if I followed traditional ratios and, as Shauna pointed out, not enough protein. Shauna, Danny and I are actively working on that project again and more decided than ever to come up with a gluten free puff pastry so good and fluffy you will be proud to point out it is gluten free.

The most traditional filling for these tarts is almond frangipane (almond cream) but it's never a bad thing to change things up so this time around I replaced half the almonds with pistachios and it could well be my favorite flavor so far for these. I used tart rings to form and bake them so the filling would stay neatly encased but you can most definitely make these free form as long as you keep careful to seal the edges tight.

I prepared and baked the tarts, set the tray to cool on the countertop and just starting giggling like a child. It came to absolutely no surprise to my dear husband that I completely forgot to sneak inside that little ceramic trinket designating the King or Queen of the day. I declared him King anyway and we happily cut into a warm frangipane galette right away.

Twitter people might already know this but I must tell you of an awesome event planned by Jen, event planner extraordinaire and writer of the blog Devour The World, Rachael of La Fuji Mama and Gaby, personal chef and author of What's Gaby Cooking. They have arranged to fly me out to Los Angeles and secure enough space and time for me to teach two macarons classes at the Academy of Culinary Education on Friday March 5th and Saturday March 6th. Zoink!

So, if you live in the area and have always wanted to know how to bake the perfect macaron here is your chance to do so in a professional but relaxed atmosphere. I just can't wait to be there and be able to help 1 on 1. Come join us! Please email Rachael rachael{at}lafujimama {dot}com for all the details as I hear both classes are filling up rather fast. Working also on another surprise for that trip...

Thanks for the positive feedback on giving out the recipes in both English and French. Starting with a salad was quite easy and I almost said "forget it" when I realized I would have to translate a recipe for puff pastry on this post but there it is after the jump!

Have a great weekend! Galette Des Rois:

Makes four or eight 4-inch tarts

Notes: I hope you'll try your hand at puff pastry soon. It sounds harder than it is. Really. But I understand and you can get very close by using a simpler Rough Puff Pastry.

Make the dough package:In a large mixing bowl, combine both flours with the salt. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture; using your fingers or a pastry cutter, incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.Form a well in center of mixture, and pour the water into well. Using your hands, gradually draw flour mixture over the water, covering and gathering until mixture is well blended and begins to come together. Gently knead mixture in the bowl just until it comes together to form a dough, about 15 seconds. Pat dough into a rough ball, and turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly, and place in refrigerator to chill 1 hour.

Make the butter package: Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon flour on a sheet of waxed or parchment paper. Place uncut sticks of butter on top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon flour. Top with another sheet of paper; using a rolling pin, pound butter to soften and flatten to about 1/2 inch. Remove top sheet of paper, and fold butter package in half onto itself. Replace top sheet of paper, and pound again until butter is about A inch thick. Repeat process two or three times, or until butter becomes quite pliable. Using your hands, shape butter package into a 6-inch square. Wrap well in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until it is chilled but not hardened, no more than 10 minutes.

Assemble and roll the dough: Remove dough package from refrigerator, and place on a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll dough into a 9-inch round. Remove butter package from refrigerator, and place it in the center of the dough round. Using a paring knife or bench scraper, lightly score the dough to outline the butter square; remove butter, and set it aside. Starting from each side of the center square, gently roll out dough with the rolling pin, forming four flaps, each 4 to 5 inches long; do not touch the raised square in the center of the dough. Replace butter package on the center square. Fold flaps of dough over the butter package so that it is completely enclosed. Press with your hands to seal.

Using the rolling pin, press down on the dough at regular intervals, repeating and covering the entire surface area, until it is about 1 inch thick. Gently roll out the dough into a large rectangle, about 9 by 20 inches, with one of the short sides closest to you. Be careful not to press too hard around the edges, and keep the corners even as you roll out the dough by squaring them with the side of the rolling pin or your hands. Brush off any excess flour. Starting at the near end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter; this completes the first single turn.Wrap in plastic wrap; place in refrigerator 45 to 60 minutes.6/ Remove dough from refrigerator, and repeat process in step 5, giving it five more single turns.Always start with the flap opening on the right as if it were a book. Mark the dough with your knuckle each time you complete a turn to help you keep track. Chill 1 hour between each turn. After the sixth and final turn, wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before using.

Place the butter, sugar, almond powder and the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until smooth (can also be done in a food processor). Add the cream but stir in it instead of whisking so as not to emulsify it or it will rise while baking. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

To assemble the tarts (4 at a time).Divide the dough in half and keep one half refrigerated.Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper or a silpat.Roll the puff pastry to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured countertop. Using a 4 inch tart rings, cut out 8 rings into the dough. Place four dough circles into 4 tart rings. Top with about 2 tablespoons of the frangipane filling. Top with 4 dough circles and seal the edges well by pressing your fingertips inside the rings onto the dough edges. If you wish to use the rest of dough and filling right away, just repeat those steps or you can refirgerate both for a week or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown.

Beautiful galettes, I have never had them before. I had picked up on the Twitter-vine about your macaron class. You'll split your sides laughing when I explain the reason for my first batch of macarons being a success and the next NINE goes failing. I think I've been using wrong sugar. I thought powdered sugar was caster sugar but I've just realised it's same as icing sugar i.e. confectioners sugar. So fingers crossed, my next ones will work just like the original batch ages ago in which I must have used the correct sugar. I feel such a total plank.

Galette des Rois is one of my favorite desserts. Since we can not purchase it in the US, my husband took on the task to make one and I have to say that his are now really good! The children love it, especially because of the trinket! We had one last week and he is making another one for my upcoming birthday!! I'm glad we can recreate this big French culinary experience. I'll ask him to make one with pistachios next time! Any macarons classes on the East Coast one day?

Your photos are so gorgeous I almost forgot about finding the little trinkets! But nevertheless, trinket or none, I still love this recipe. We never make cake especially for this occasion but it sounds like a lovely tradition that I might take on myself.

Oh, I love these! And with pistachios, even yummier. This year I made a traditional one because it was also a crazy week, but next year, I'm gonna incorporate pistachios. I'll be checking back for your gluten-free puff pastry. My sister has celiac's disease and has an even bigger sweet tooth than I do.

I just returned from a year of culinary school and an internship in Paris.I just discovered this site a few weeks ago, and it is wonderful to feel back in France again.My compliments on your recipes and photographs they are great.Thank you for sharing your food.

oh, I definitely need to make this again soon. I haven't had galette des rois in years. I made it one year, ages ago, for my Alliance Française teacher who was feeling very homesick. I had to use French recipes -- the only recipes I could find online at the time. It will be much easier using your English version, I am sure! And your filling sounds much more interesting. :)

They look superb! This year, we celebrated "les rois" with a homemade galette for the first time (although I didn't make the puff pastry). It's so much fun to have the freedom to play around with the flavours and design!

I was just about to start worshipping you officially because I've been trying since December to come up with a gluten free galette des rois recipe for the 6th, I just kind of resigned myself to the fact that it wasn't going to happen and wished myself luck for next year. At least you tried and don't worry I'm still worshipping you in secret

p.s Great work with the p'tit coin, should hekp me out if I ever get a bit stuck!

I was about to start officially worshipping you when I thought you'd cracked the code for a gluten free galette des rois, I've been trying since December to have a recipe ready for the 6th with no luck, so just accepted that it wasn't going to happen and wished myself luck for next year.Ah well as least you tried...and don't worry between you and me, I'll still worship you in secret ;)

ps. love the ptit coin it can help me out if I ever get lost in translation ;)

Very nice work. I really like the composition of your top down photographs, really nice, a little bit like surface pattern design. Better late than never is a good philosophy, may we all follow it this year.

I would love to take one of your classes; are you ever going to give one in Dallas?By the way, I brought back some "produits du terroir" from Lebanon and I am doing a giveaway in case you're interested!

Marina: it's all a matter of taste and preference. For the macarons using skin on almonds will just leave little specks in the shells but the taste will be the same. Same for all the recipes I use, it pretty much depends on the taste and texture I want at the time. Leaving the skin on gives a more rustic taste.

Leave it to none other than Helen to make adorable miniature versions of galette des rois. Tu es maestra! (was that grammatically correct?!) I anxiously await the gf version of puff pastry. If anyone can do it, YOU and SHAUNA can! Of course, if 1) you develop a recipe and 2) I can actually make it correctly then Andrew is going to be one ecstatic fellow :) Safe travels this week. I hope B survives (knowing you, you have stocked the fridge to the hilt!) xo

How delicious these look! I love the addition of the pistachios. There isn't much they can't improve on.

I wish people celebrated Epiphany more in the US. It's kind of nice to stretch out the holiday a bit and have one last hoorah before the winter doldrums set in. I guess that's what Valentine's Day is for.

You are a very sweet wife to make these with regular flour. Hope your family has a very happy new year.

Buy the "pate feuilletée" because it's difficult to made.... In France the most of people buy the pate feulletée ...The galette des rois it's very good and easy to made (when you by before th pate feuilletée.Have fun !Nathalie from France (Provence)

Nathalie: I'd buy it too if I were living in France because puff pastry there tastes great which is not the case in the States. Only a couple of brands are decent and they are not sold everywhere hence the reason why I make my own which is not difficult, just takes some time. The trick is to have butter and dough at same temperature on the first turn and then if you know how to fold in three and roll out, it's easy peasy the whole way home!

I thought I'd try to be lazy and just use frozen puff pastry and it ended up being a disaster. The filling was tasty though! I will definitely be trying again, with made from scratch puff pastry this time lol